The Velvet Underground "White Light/White Heat" 45th Anniversary Edition

Discussion in 'Music Corner' started by Marry a Carrot, Sep 28, 2013.

Thread Status:
Not open for further replies.
  1. stepeanut

    stepeanut The gloves are off

    I am no longer a vinyl collector, so skipped the Sundazed box.

    I do not consider myself a serious VU collector, either, although I have owned all the albums, in multiple versions, at one time or another. I was around 14 years of age when I first bought a Japanese import LP of the debut album; this was circa 1985. Never have heard the mono WL/WH until now, however.

    I passed over last year's VU & Nico reissues. I love the record, but rarely feel the need/desire to hear it any longer.

    But WL/WH is far and away my favourite Velvets album. It still sounds fresh and exciting to this day, even though, like the debut, I've owned a copy since the mid-80s. The super-deluxe was an essential purchase, particularly for the chance to own the mono mix on CD. It was worth every penny.
     
    Hep Alien and cc-- like this.
  2. DeeThomaz

    DeeThomaz Senior Member

    Location:
    In The Felony Room
    I'm basically new to the mono, too (as I mentioned, I had a needle-drop of it, but that doesn't seem like it fully provides a legitimate point of comparison). Now that I finally have a record player after many years without, the Sundazed box is one of the first purchases I intend to make. I've heard mixed reviews regarding the set from some quarters , but if nothing else. the mono Chelsea Girl looks to remain exclusive to that set for the foreseeable future.
     
    cc-- likes this.
  3. ralphb

    ralphb "First they came for..."

    Location:
    Brooklyn, New York
    I bought the Sundazed box on release and had no issues regarding the packaging or the pressings. As far as the sound, the first 2 sound wonderful, powerful, noisy and beautiful. A lot of folks say that the 3rd album is just a tweaked fold down, but for me it is now my go to version. It sounds warm and inviting. And Chelsea Girl is a marvel, it just glows. The 1969 attempt at a supposed fourth album is fine by me, but a lot of people had a problem with the tracks used. I say go for it.
     
    DeeThomaz and sharedon like this.
  4. lou

    lou Fast 'n Bulbous

    Location:
    Louisiana
    For me the book with the super deluxe is nonessential, the best photos and quotes would easily fit in a CD booklet, there's a lot of poor repros of newspaper ads and articles and photos with not a lot of text. The mono is interesting but do we know how many cuts are fold downs? I Heard Her Call My Name is. I like the mono mix of WL/WH though. Overall the value for your money is the deluxe 2CD set.
     
    cc-- likes this.
  5. Tristero

    Tristero In possession of the future tense

    Location:
    MI
    My bank account thanks you, good sir! I'd like to get on board with this reissue the exorbitant price tag was putting me off.
     
  6. Channel Z

    Channel Z Forum Resident

    Location:
    Illinois
    I also have the 2 CD set and also think this is a good value compared to the Super Deluxe. The booklet included has 26 pages with a lot of photos and info.
     
  7. jay.dee

    jay.dee Forum Resident

    Location:
    Barcelona, Spain
    Despite some grumblings here against the idea of releasing the live disc within deluxe package (instead of the mono mix one), I have bought today the deluxe edition, mainly because of the Gymnasium set. I have not listened to the remastered album yet, but already given two spins to the live disc.

    It was my first contact with a live recording by the original lineup (not counting the reformed band's live release) and I have to say that it was a hell of a band onstage in their prime. What an intensity of playing with superb musicianship! I really do not understand why they did not succeed in the age where psychedelic far-out stuff was all the rage.

    Having said that I am a little disappointed with the apparent lack of effort to eliminate volume level fluctuations. They occasionally spoil the pleasure of losing oneself in the stream of music, otherwise preserved in a very decent sound quality. It is just one more example of the new situation on the market, where unofficial or public domain labels start to offer better product quality than legit publishers, although the latter usually have exclusive access to the 1st generation sources! I just do not get it.

    Great release nonetheless.
     
    Last edited: Jan 5, 2014
  8. So this set was waiting for me when I got back from my vacation; haven't played it yet but it sure looks good and feels good in the hands. A pox on you naysayers! :)
     
  9. schelti

    schelti Forum Resident

    I received my copy from Amazon.com yesterday, it's different from your copy: no gz in the dead wax, different number on the label.

     
  10. guidedbyvoices

    guidedbyvoices Old Dan's Records

    Location:
    Alpine, TX
    price has kept me away too. if it drops under $50 I'll pull the trigger, because I loved the Nico super deluxe. But amazon has gone back up over $70 again. maybe popmarket will have a deal soon.
     
    JimC likes this.
  11. ad180

    ad180 Forum Resident

    Location:
    USA
    I received the Super Deluxe edition from my girlfriend for Christmas (the first time I didn't get a shirt or something!). I haven't made it through everything yet, but I'm really enjoying the mono mix.
     
    Hep Alien, DeeThomaz and stepeanut like this.
  12. lou

    lou Fast 'n Bulbous

    Location:
    Louisiana
    Glad someone else noticed this, the few volume fluctuations could have easily been "fixed" - why wouldn't they have done that? I guess they wanted to give us something to do with the ripped files at home!
     
  13. dino77

    dino77 Forum Resident

    Location:
    Europe
    I bought it also and find it very good value. Couldn't care less about the mono mixes really.
     
  14. pablorkcz

    pablorkcz ⚡️⚡️⚡️⚡️

    It's kinda hard to not notice.
     
  15. Adam Bosman

    Adam Bosman Forum Resident

    I found the vinyl reissue to be the best bang for your buck if you order from Amazon. (2) LP is remastered Stereo plus a bonus 12" vinyl of all the extra tracks. If you buy through Amazon you get the Autorip .mp3 files of the Deluxe Box Set material.
     
  16. ad180

    ad180 Forum Resident

    Location:
    USA
    Ok, after spending more time with the mono mix: I feel this is the best way to hear the album. Despite the stereo experimentation of "The Gift," the album just works better with this mix. It's more immediate and emotional. It will probably be my favorite version from here on out. I don't care if it's a fold down: it speaks to me. That's what counts.
     
  17. stepeanut

    stepeanut The gloves are off

    Scratch that. The super-deluxe just came down by 20 quid on Amazon U.K. Ordered.
     
  18. Paul Curtis

    Paul Curtis Forum Resident

    Location:
    Portland, Oregon
    So I just got this set, and of course it's great, but there's something that really pisses me off about the mastering: something that has, in fact, annoyed me about every CD variant of WL/WH I've ever heard (and believe me, I've heard plenty).

    In lieu of the abrupt "tape slice" track endings per the original Verve vinyl—where the studio ambience just suddenly CUTS into silence—we get a series of nice, tidy fades. ARRGGHHH.

    Seem like a petty concern to you? To me, it is a small-scale betrayal of this album's grimy lo-fi ethos. It amounts to the gratuitous neutering of a distinctive and entirely befitting sonic characteristic which leapt out at me when I first heard WL/WH on vinyl at age 15, and which deserves to be preserved.

    Then again, I still don't understand why mastering engineers feel compelled to digitally mute the leader between tracks, futz around with the length of the gaps, etc. etc. Why can't they just let the goddamn tape run?
     
    Chris M, Mylene, jack static and 2 others like this.
  19. berlinerpunk

    berlinerpunk Record Collector

    Location:
    Berlin/Brooklyn
    This question applies here and all over the forums about various reissue campaigns: When did 20, 30, 35, 40, and 45 become significant numbers for anniversaries? Did I miss something? Am I anti-festive or is it just the marketing people looking for any excuse to repackage and resell? We all know they could try to get it right the first time (dream on!)
     
  20. dino77

    dino77 Forum Resident

    Location:
    Europe
    See bold :).
     
    ruben lopez and berlinerpunk like this.
  21. stepeanut

    stepeanut The gloves are off

    Try telling your wife/grandmother (delete as appropriate) that her 45th wedding anniversary is not significant, and that she'll have to wait another five years before you will recognise an official celebration. Good luck with that.
     
    Robert C and Hep Alien like this.
  22. berlinerpunk

    berlinerpunk Record Collector

    Location:
    Berlin/Brooklyn
    It's a good thing I'm asking about this in relation to music and not about marriage!!
     
    dino77 likes this.
  23. Edgard Varese

    Edgard Varese Royale with Cheese

    Location:
    Te Wai Pounamu
    I can't believe I've had a copy of the mono mix sitting here in my house for years and never passed it on to you. :laugh:
     
  24. Leviethan

    Leviethan Forum Resident

    Location:
    Portland, OR
    Just picked up the vinyl today. I bought it mainly for "Stephanie Says," and the other extra Cale tracks, as I prefer the mono mix. I'm curious, are these the same versions of "Stephanie Says" and "Temptation Inside Your Heart" that Sundazed released on their singles box? This mix of Stephanie is different from the one I'm used to hearing. I'm assuming that one is one of the 1980s remixes? This one says "original mix" on the back cover. I don't dislike it, it's just not what I was expecting. It's one of my favorite Velvets songs, and I wished that Sundazed would have released the 45 by itself. I absolutely love that the vocal banter was kept in on Temptation. "Was that terrible??" So good.
     
  25. RocketUSA

    RocketUSA Forum Resident

    I need to listen to Temptation again to spot the differences, as when I first heard the original mix, I had a hard time telling the difference between it and the one on VU.
     
Thread Status:
Not open for further replies.

Share This Page

molar-endocrine